2026.02.25
The global maritime industry is undergoing a structural reset. Geopolitical friction, decarbonisation mandates and accelerating digitalisation are colliding at once, with the Chinese shipping sector featuring prominently across key developments.
Our CEO, Waqas Samad, recently sat down with Yicai Media in Shanghai to explore what China's maritime trajectory means for the rest of the world. Amid a flurry of headlines heavily featuring the US and China about trade wars, tariffs, shipping fees, it may seem that the entire architecture of global shipping is being reorganised.
So where does China currently stand within the shipping sector?
China's scale has become the baseline
Shanghai handles more than 55 million TEU annually, making it the world's largest container port. Chinese leasing portfolios exceed US$100 billion in asset value, meaning maritime finance increasingly originates in China rather than simply passing through it. Last year, the Bank of China and PICC jointly developed a 29-point plan to deepen the synergy between shipping and financial services, a signal of how deliberately that integration is being pursued. Figures and policy developments referenced in this section were discussed by our CEO, Waqas Samad, in a recent interview with Yicai Media. China is simultaneously one of the world's largest shipbuilders, one of the largest ship owners, the largest importer of crude oil, LNG and iron ore, and the second-largest provider of hull insurance globally.
These aren't parallel developments, but rather a representation of structural integration across every layer of the maritime economy, from capital formation to cargo origination to fleet deployment.
This influence shows up in rankings too. Lloyd's List's 2025 Top 100 most influential people in shipping included more than ten figures from China, including COSCO and China Merchants Group.
Also read: Let the good times roll: Shipping stocks hit multiyear peak :: Lloyd's List
The cost of complexity
While the fate of the US–China reciprocal port fees suspended last year remains unclear, the United States has proposed a new levy. Its Maritime Action Plan, released in February 2026, outlines a "universal infrastructure or security fee" on foreign-built vessels calling at US ports, assessed on the weight of imported cargo carried.
The MAP illustrates that a fee of 1 cent per kilogram could raise around US$66 billion over 10 years, while 25 cents per kilogram could raise close to US$1.5 trillion over the same period.
At the vessel level, the implications could be significant. A 5,000-TEU container ship carrying roughly 37.5 million kilograms of import cargo could face between US$375,000 and US$9.4 million per US port call. An Aframax tanker transporting approximately 70 million kilograms of crude could face charges ranging from US$700,000 to US$17.5 million per call.
Source: Lloyd’s List — Trump’s Maritime Action Plan seeks to resurrect US port fees
Decarbonisation adds further pressure. The IMO's October 2025 discussions revealed setbacks in the pace of policy adoption, leaving companies navigating uncertain terrain across green fuels, smart ship technology and vessel efficiency upgrades. The investment horizons are long, and the technology pathways are multiple. As our CEO, Waqas Samad, observed, “shipping companies are operating in a complex environment when deciding where to focus activity, where to place investment and how to prioritise green technologies, green fuels and investment in technologies aimed at improving the efficiency of vessels.”
Data has become the new infrastructure
The companies gaining ground in this environment share a common advantage: better information, faster.
During his visit to Shanghai, Waqas saw firsthand the scale of investment that Chinese shipbuilders are making in big data technologies to support a new digital era of voyage management and ship operating systems. As ship owners gain greater visibility over their fleets, that same data flows through to the insurers, lenders and charterers who support them, making the entire ecosystem better equipped to price risk accurately.
Advanced analytics are enabling real-time vessel monitoring, dynamic voyage optimisation and performance tracking across global fleets. The industry is moving toward a world where data transparency is as foundational as the vessels themselves.
China’s expanding influence across scale, regulation and technology is reshaping how global shipping operates, and understanding these structural shifts is becoming central to long-term maritime strategy.
Watch the full conversation with our CEO, Waqas Samad, in his interview with Yicai Media here.
About Lloyd’s List Intelligence
Lloyd’s List Intelligence delivers the trusted maritime data, analytics, and insight that keeps global trade moving.
Powered by a rich and growing network of intelligence sources, proprietary AIS data, and a global network of analysts, we provide real-time visibility into the world’s fleets, trade flows, and risks. By combining advanced analytics, AI, and human expertise, our intelligence helps organisations across shipping, finance, commodities, insurance, legal, and government sectors make confident decisions— reducing risk exposure, optimising operations, and identifying commercial opportunities.
With over 300 years of maritime heritage, we continue to shape the future of trade intelligence, transforming vessel, ownership, compliance, and emissions data into clarity that drives smarter, safer, and more transparent trade.
